|
|
|
Macedonian Press Agency, News in English, 98-05-20
MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH
Thessaloniki, May 20, 1998
SECTIONS
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEWS HEADLINES
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STRIKE FEVER CONTINUES AT BANKS, SPILLS OVER AT
TRANSPORTATION
[02] PRESIDENT, PM TO OPEN GREEK INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION ASSEMBLY
[03] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER: WE ACCEPT NO PACKAGE FROM ANYONE
[04] ECONOMY AND LABOR MINISTERS TO MEET WITH STRIKING STAFF
[05] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS TO INTRODUCE FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM
[06] SPANISH ROYALS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI, VERGINA
[07] PROPOSAL TO THE EURO-PARLIAMENT FOR THE ADOPTION OF OLYMPIC
TRUCE
[08] THE WORLD'S LARGEST FLAG WILL BE HOISTED IN DIDIMOTICHO ON
THE INDEPENDENCE DAY OF THRACE
[09] SIMITIS - PAPANDREOU MEETING
[10] THE NEW MAYOR OF THESSALONIKI WILL BE ELECTED TOMORROW
[11] A 20MEMBER JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION WILL VISIT
THESSALONIKI
[12] EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS: THE TOMB OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS
IN ALEXANDRIA
[13] OVER 18.500 GREEKS LOST THEIR JOBS IN APRIL
[14] THE FUND RAISER FOR THE GREEKS IN THE BLACK SEA IS AN
INITIATIVE OF NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] EC PLEASED WITH COURSE OF GREECE'S ECONOMY
[16] NATO's DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARIES TO MEET AT TIRANA
[17] US STATE DEPARTMENT: NO NEW POLICY ON G/T ISSUES
[18] INTERBALKAN COOPERATION FOR RAILWAYS DEVELOPMENT
[19] BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK VISITS TURKEY
[20] KOSSOVO'S ALBANIANS MIGHT BOYCOTT FRIDAY'S TALKS WITH SERBS
[21] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE DOES NOT ACCEPT A DISCUSSION ON GRAY
ZONES IN THE AEGEAN
[22] GREEK F-16 JETS FLEW OVER PAPHOS IN CYPRUS
NEWS IN DETAIL
[A] NATIONAL NEWS
[01] STRIKE FEVER CONTINUES AT BANKS, SPILLS OVER AT
TRANSPORTATION
In protest to the state's privatization plans for the Ionian
Bank, employees at Commercial Bank are continuing their strike for
a second consecutive day today, while employees at Ionian have
been on an indefinite strike for a week.
Rolling strikes by bank staff are scheduled to continue until
June 12 when the shareholders of Commercial Bank vote on whether
they will approve the sale of subsidiary Ionian.
Today employees at the state-owned enterprises (DEKOS) and
banks will hold a four-hour work stoppage, a decision issued by
the General Confederation of Greek Laborers (GSEE). In
Thessaloniki city buses will not operate until 3 o'clock
in the afternoon.
[02] PRESIDENT, PM TO OPEN GREEK INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION ASSEMBLY
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis is to salute the open session
of the annual assembly of the Greek Industries Association (SEV)
which will be held today in Athens and will also be attended by
the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.
The Minister of Finance and National Economy Yiannos
Papantoniou will be among the speakers at the event, along with
SEV's Chairman Jason Stratos and the chairman of the German
Industries Association Hans-Olaf Henkel.
[03] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER: WE ACCEPT NO PACKAGE FROM ANYONE
US President Bill Clinton and Britain's prime minister Tony
Blair support the concept of a comprehensive "package" solution to
the multiple outstanding issues between Greece and Turkey, but
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Theodoros Pangalos has responded
that Greece does not agree with this concept, which in any case is
far too vague and even self-contradictory.
"We will not accept "packages" from anyone," Mr.
Pangalos characteristically said.
The Cyprus problem, tension in the Aegean, jurisdiction on
disputes and the position of Turkey vis-a-vis the European union
cannot be solved in isolation from one another, according to Mr.
Clinton, while Mr. Blair stressed the need for closer ties between
Turkey and the European Union.
There never was and there could never be a package deal for
these two major issues (the Cyprus problem and Greek-Turkish
relations)", Mr. Pangalos stressed and also said that Mr.
Clinton's statements linking the Cyprus issue and Greek- Turkish
problems in the Aegean contained certain contradictions.
By their very nature, Mr. Pangalos said, the Cyprus problem
and Greek-Turkish relations were different.
"The Cyprus issue is an international problem of invasion and
occupation which concerns the world community. It is not a Greek-
Turkish issue."
[04] ECONOMY AND LABOR MINISTERS TO MEET WITH STRIKING STAFF
The Minister of National Economy and Finance Yiannos
Papantoniou, along with the Minister of Labor Miltiades
Papaioannou are to meet with representatives from the General
Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and the General
Confederation of Bank Employees (OTOE) today, in order to attempt
to ease the crisis that has erupted in the banking sector where
striking employees are opposed to privatization plans.
GSEE has called a nationwide strike for May 27, while, today,
workers at all banks, Thessaloniki's Public Transportation
Organization, the Public Power Corporation (DEH), the Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization (OTE), Hellenic Post Offices
(ELTA) and Olympic Airways are due to undertake a work stoppage
between 12pm and 4pm today.
[05] OLYMPIC AIRWAYS TO INTRODUCE FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM
The national air carrier Olympic Airways is to introduce a
Frequent Flyer Program as of June 15, in an effort to attract
passengers and offset the losses recently suffered by the economic
upheaval brought on by the strikes, flight cancellations and
delays. .
The frequent flyer program is to be modeled after the
packages currently offered by other international air carriers and
is expected to be announced later this week.
Olympic Airways will have to cut costs by 250 billion
drachmas over the next five years, or face closure, by minimum or
no salary increase, reductions in overtime pay, longer working
hours for flying crews, and reduced seasonal employment during the
busy summer season.
[06] SPANISH ROYALS TO VISIT THESSALONIKI, VERGINA
King of Spain Juan Carlos and his wife Sophia are to arrive
in Athens on Monday for a four-day official visit at the
invitation of the President of the Hellenic Republic Kostis
Stephanopoulos.
President Stephanopoulos will host a dinner in honor of the
Spanish royals on Monday night, while the couple will also
inaugurate the "Classic Greece in Spain" exhibition.
On May 28 King Carlos and Queen Sofia will visit Thessaloniki
where they will be received by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace
Philippos Petsalnikos and on May 29 the royal couple will visit
the archaeological sites and museum of Vergina.
[07] PROPOSAL TO THE EURO-PARLIAMENT FOR THE ADOPTION OF OLYMPIC
TRUCE
Greek governing Socialist party of PASOK Euro-deputy Ms.
Angela Kokkola called on the European Parliament to back the
proposal of the Greek government to adopt the Olympic Truce during
the Olympic Games.
In a letter to the Euro-Parliament, she points out that the
revival of this ancient institution will help the Olympic Games to
escape the commercialization and return again to the service of
peace and culture.
[08] THE WORLD'S LARGEST FLAG WILL BE HOISTED IN DIDIMOTICHO ON
THE INDEPENDENCE DAY OF THRACE
The largest and heaviest flag in the world, according to the
Guinnes Book of Records, will be hoisted in the Byzantine castle
of Didimoticho, in north-eastern Greece on Sunday, May 24, the day
when the events commemorating the liberation of Thrace will
culminate.
The flag covers 480 square meters and weighs 130 kilos.
According to a decision reached by the local authorities, it will
be hoisted three times a year namely, on the two national holidays
and the anniversary of the city's liberation.
[09] SIMITIS - PAPANDREOU MEETING
Deputy foreign minister Giorgos Papandreou, after his meeting
today with prime minister Kostas Simitis, characterized as
necessary the US State Department clarification on the US
president proposals.
US State Department spokesman James Rubin stated that the
United States do not propose a new round of negotiations or
another approach that will link the Greek-Turkish issues and the
Cyprus problem in a "package" deal. He added that the two issues
remain separate and are handled as such through diplomatic
channels.
[10] THE NEW MAYOR OF THESSALONIKI WILL BE ELECTED TOMORROW
The New Democracy group of city councilors in Thessaloniki's
City Hall will have a closed-door meeting tomorrow at noon to
elect the new mayor, who according to the available information
will be city councilor Dimitris Dimitriadis the only candidate for
the post.
The meeting will be held in the City Hall building and based
on the existing regulations an absolute majority is necessary for
the election of the new mayor. If no absolute majority is achieved
in two rounds of voting then a third round will be held and the
candidate with the most votes will be elected to the post.
[11] A 20MEMBER JAPANESE BUSINESS DELEGATION WILL VISIT
THESSALONIKI
Twenty members of the Japanese Economic Organizations'
Federation, better known as "Keidanren", will be in Thessaloniki
on Friday to examine the investment opportunities in northern
Greece and open contacts with representatives of the local
business community.
The 20member delegation, that will be accompanied by the
Japanese ambassador, will be received by Thessaloniki's Commerce
and Industry Chamber and by minister of Macedonia-Thrace Mr.
Petsalnikos.
Also, local businessmen will make brief presentations of the
sectors of industry, trade and tourism.
[12] EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS: THE TOMB OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS
IN ALEXANDRIA
The tomb of Alexander the Great is in Alexandria, according
to Egyptian archaeologists, who will present new facts on their
excavations, during the conference under the title "Alexander the
Great: From Macedonia to the World" that will be held in the
northern Greek city of Veria on May 27-30.
Their views on the exact place of the tomb are conflicting.
Professor Fauzi El Fakharani maintains that it must be in the
Ptolemaic necropolis, while his colleague Mahmud El Saadani places
it in the area where the ancient Roman theater was located, at the
center of the ancient city of Alexandria.
[13] OVER 18.500 GREEKS LOST THEIR JOBS IN APRIL
The Greeks lost their jobs at a rate of 743 a day in the
month of April. A total of 18.574 people became jobless last
month, confirming the record high layoffs and unemployment that
characterized the first four months of 1998.
According to official data, that were given to publicity by
the ministry of labor and social security, the percentage of the
registered unemployed increased by 1 point in April compared to
the same month last year, while 9.5% of the work force remains
unemployed.
[14] THE FUND RAISER FOR THE GREEKS IN THE BLACK SEA IS AN
INITIATIVE OF NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) secretary Dimitris
Konstantinidis, referring to the international radio and
television fund raiser for the Greeks of the former Soviet Union
which is organized by the World Council of Hellenes Abroad to take
place on May 23 and 24 under the auspices of Greek president
Kostis Stephanopoulos, said that this world initiative undertaken
by SAE is very important as for the first time the Greeks from all
over the world will express their support and solidarity to the
Greeks of the Black Sea.
Responding to a question by MPA, Mr. Konstantinidis stated
that it is an obligation of the Greeks around the world to offer
their help to the Greeks in the Black Sea not as a charity but as
an initiative of national responsibility toward a forgotten part
of the Greek nation.
He said that the fund raiser was scheduled to coincide with
the anniversary of the genocide of the Greeks in Pontos (Black
Sea) that was committed by the Turks. Genocide and refugees are
the two faces of a crime, said Mr. Konstantinidis and added that
the Greeks have a duty to stand by those people, who were ignored
for at least 70 years, and create for them a medical care system.
[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS
[15] EC PLEASED WITH COURSE OF GREECE'S ECONOMY
The European Commission has expressed its satisfaction over
the course of Greece's economy. During yesterday session of the
European Union's Finance and National Economy Ministers, extensive
reference was made at the significant improvement of the basic
indexes of the Greek economy, fully adopting the country's target
to join the Economic and Monetary Union in the year 2001.
[16] NATO's DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARIES TO MEET AT TIRANA
The defense undersecretaries of the states-members of NATO
are to meet at the Albanian capital, Tirana, on Friday. The
undersecretaries of defense from Greece, Albania, Italy, FYROM,
Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and the Unites States will
attend the session, along with officials from the alliance and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
[17] US STATE DEPARTMENT: NO NEW POLICY ON G/T ISSUES
US State Department spokesperson James Rubin stressed
yesterday that the Clinton Administration has no new policy in
regards to Greek-Turkish issues and the Cyprus matter, referring
to questions that arose after US President Bill Clinton's
statement that calls for a "comprehensive solution to these
matters.
. "The President's statement speaks for itself in reaffirming
long-standing US policy," Mr. Rubin said. adding that "we want to
help Greece and Turkey resolve their problems peacefully; we want
to help resolve the Cyprus problem; and we strongly support
Turkey's EU aspirations."
Moreover, the US diplomat said that the US is not proposing a
new set of negotiations or any other approach that would link
these issues in some sort of package deal.
"We do, however, believe, as the President indicated, that
progress in one area can improve the climate and the atmosphere
for progress in another. But they are still separate issues being
dealt with separately through diplomatic channels," he added.
When asked if US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is
planning to travel to Turkey and Greece very soon, Mr. Rubin
responded "I don't think any decision has been made on that."
[18] INTERBALKAN COOPERATION FOR RAILWAYS DEVELOPMENT
A new age is dawning on the Balkan railway systems, after the
cooperation protocol signed yesterday in Belgrade among the chiefs
of Southeast European railway organizations.
The group comprises Greece, Bulgaria., Romania, Turkey,
Yugoslavia, FYROM and Albania (whose representative did not attend
the meeting). The representatives of the aforementioned countries
met to lay the ground rules of expanding the itineraries of
intercity and eurocity trains in order to improve the provided
services. Moreover, the contacts aimed at reducing the waiting
period at the borders through amending the customs and police
controls in accordance to international standards.
[19] BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK VISITS TURKEY
The British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook conducted a four-
hour visit to Ankara yesterday, in preparation of Monday's
Association Council between the European Union and Turkey.
Mr Cook arrived with a draft proposal from the EU Commission
that was supposed to tempt the Turks back into discussions with
promises of a "strategy" which would offer a path towards EU
membership. However, Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, stated
yesterday "there is discrimination against us on the part of the
EU, and unless it is removed, the limits on our political dialogue
will remain."
[20] KOSSOVO'S ALBANIANS MIGHT BOYCOTT FRIDAY'S TALKS WITH SERBS
Kossovo's Albanians who have agreed to holding talks with the
Serbian government over the future of Kossovo stated yesterday
that they could boycott the first session on Friday in Pristina.
``We have not decided to attend or not to attend,'' said a
member of the negotiating team assembled by Ibrahim Rugova, leader
of Kossovo's ethnic Albanians.
``This is not a division between one group of advisers who
think we should go and another who think we should not. We all see
the pro's and con's. We all have a good list of reasons why we
shouldn't attend and yet we still see a reason to attend.''
Political observers say they may be the last chance to avoid
a war in Kossovo that could spread to ther parts of the
Balkans.
Mr. Rugova and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic met for
the first time in Belgrade last Friday and the first substantive
session between their representatives is supposed to take place
this Friday in Kosovo's capital, Pristina.
[21] TSOCHATZOPOULOS: GREECE DOES NOT ACCEPT A DISCUSSION ON GRAY
ZONES IN THE AEGEAN
Greek minister of defense Akis Tsochatzopoulos stressed, in
his address before the Western European Union parliamentary
assembly in Paris, that Greece is not possible to accept a
discussion on alleged "gray zones" in the Aegean. During the
meeting, the European delegations expressed satisfaction for the
successful Greek WEU presidency and pointed out its positive
contribution to the operational upgrading of the WEU.
Regarding the Greek-Turkish issues, Mr. Tsochatzopoulos
reiterated that the only pending issue between the two countries
is the issue of the continental shelf and added that the Greek
government supports the dialogue with Turkey for the solution of
real problems and not for the discussion of unilateral claims
expressed by the Turkish side. In any case international law
should be respected by all, said the Greek minister of defense.
On the Cyprus issue, he pointed out that the island's
accession into the European Union will offer a decisive boost to
the solution of the problem.
[22] GREEK F-16 JETS FLEW OVER PAPHOS IN CYPRUS
Four Greek F-16 fighter jets flew twice over the "Andreas
Papandreou" military base in Paphos this morning, within the
framework of the Greek armed forces' air and sea exercise, code-
named "Toxotis".
The Greek fighter jets bombarded sea targets within the
framework of the exercise.
[23] BULATOVIC WILL ANNOUNCE THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT
Momir Bulatovic, who received the mandate to form a
government as the prime minister of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia is expected to present today to the federal Parliament
the program, the targets and the members of his government.
Bulatovic had consultations yesterday with representatives of
political parties for their participation in the new government.
Complete archives of the Macedonian Press Agency bulletins are available
on the MPA Home Page at http://www.mpa.gr/ and on the U.S. mirror at
http://www.hri.org/MPA/
|
